


Breath of Her Own

by GreenMountainWitch



Category: Link - Fandom, Zelda - Fandom, Zelink - Fandom
Genre: F/F, F/M, Lovely Fluff, M/M, Other, i do have some ideas, i may write more chapters if I get feedback asking me to add more, they stray from canon but hey all fic does lol, zelink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-29 21:25:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10862388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenMountainWitch/pseuds/GreenMountainWitch
Summary: Link and Zelda reunite after defeating Ganon





	Breath of Her Own

**Author's Note:**

> So this takes place immediately after Ganon's defeat, when Zelda and Link are outside and meeting again, FINALLY.

As I turned to face him, my heart fluttered in my chest. I tried to think through something, anything, to summarize the way I'd felt, locked away in the castle for the last hundred years. Would it be possible that he'd forgotten, completely? How much memory did he have still intact? 

I came back from whirlwind thoughts with the most sheepish, obvious, blunt question I could muster. "I must ask... do you really remember me?"  
As the last syllable passed my lips, I felt my heart practically stop in my chest. Was it selfish to hope his answer would be yes? To be so desperately in need of the knight I'd so loved, one hundred years prior? Could he understand my sorrow, the memories I'd combed over thousands of times in search of answers, out of pain and loneliness? His brow furrowed slightly. His eyes locked on mine, as sharp as the blade strapped to his back. 

"I do."

My heart cascaded, my hopes and worries bubbling up out of my chest, through my throat, and into a sound twisted out of joy and relief.  
He looked at me with a pained expression. I instinctively extended an arm to comfort him, but he pulled back slightly. I felt the hurt register on my face. 

"Princess... I feel it's necessary for me to first... attempt to express my understanding of our situation, before I may deem myself worthy or unworthy to even stand next to you." 

Oh no.  
Had I misread his answer? What DID he remember? What if he had only been able to recall those first few months, when I had been so cruel towards him? Was that the reason he was ready to declare himself unworthy, because I had once, so foolishly, insisted he was? I was horrible, horrible. My heart sank as I realized this reunion would not be the one I'd imagined over the decades- various scenarios and words exchanged, but always in love. This was sad, and reminiscent of the pain of what seemed to be a lifetime behind us. Things were supposed to be different now. 

I shifted uncomfortably. My tone became one all too formal given the setting. It was one from long ago- it belonged to a young princess, bound by the chains of her duty to her kingdom. 

"Indeed. And do forgive me, for not having asked what exactly you recollected of our relationship" -oh, WONDERFUL, offer him the word relationship as though it were anything more fanciful than a one sided obsession on your behalf, Zelda- "and leaping to my own conclusions. When you feel ready, I wish to hear you recall them." 

We stood in silence for several long minutes. My eyes were trained on his face as he looked along the horizon, perhaps searching for answers. He was untouched by the harsh hands of time- still young, and so very beautiful. He had grown more tan since I saw him last, and his hair was longer, though endearingly unkept as always. He seemed to have earned a few more scars than I remembered him having, but he was still so familiar to me that my heart gave a hopeful flutter. It was a funny feeling- one of air and dust, lacking a foundation. He still didn't seem REAL.  
I felt a pang of guilt as I realized I'd gone so long simply wishing he would be in front of me, that perhaps I'd grown accustomed to expecting he never again would be. 

"When I awoke in the Shrine of Resurrection, I had no memory of where I was, who I was, WHAT I was... I had lost all memories of my life before." 

I gave him a nod of understanding- I'd been told upon committing him to the shrine that he may wake with no recollection of the past. 

"I woke to a voice, that of a woman, and one so familiar. Yet, it was one I could not place without memory. I'm sure you'd anticipated such. I found first, the Sheikah Slate. Then, I was out upon new Hyrule- Zelda, have you been able to see the destruction come upon the country, from here?"

I nodded, tears welling in my eyes. "Dare I ask, Link, but... are there still people, out there in the world? Are we alone? Has Great Hyrule been reduced to rubble, nothing more?" 

He rushed to an explanation in response to my distress. "No! No, there are many people. Hyrule has been preserved. The nations remain intact. And the small towns still exist." He trailed off. "Oh, and Mipha's family! Her father, and Sidon, her brother..." his expression twisted into one unreadable, though it seemed he was attempting to suppress a blush. "... They survive. As do the Sheikahs- Robbie, Purah, Impa. The Great Deku Tree, of course. They will all be so pleased to see you once again."

The words hadn't yet registered with me. I had friends still surviving? How many years had I spent assuming I'd be released into a lonely world, not a familiar soul around? I had been able to contact Link, share in his feelings and certain wavelengths of thought as he braved his way through Hyrule, but I was entirely blind to the world beyond that. After witnessing the destruction the Guardians and Divine Beasts had caused after falling under Ganon's control, I'd only assumed the worst had become of Hyrule. I grasped at the only thing I could understand- 

"And you? Are you pleased to see me, as well?"

Link took a step towards me, his face stern. "It is something I have no words to put to. You have always been, and will remain, the one for whom I... I continue." He took one of my dirty hands in his, and I felt my blush rise to my ears. The familiar scent of his clothes wafted around me- it was that of bark, stone, and wind.

His expression shifted. He was once again a blank slate, perfectly composed. 

"None the matter, I would be entirely understanding if you were to send me away now. I know you've been seeing to me since my awakening..." he hesitated. "And I'm unable to imagine the emotions that may have unhinged in you. Even if I were to devote every second of the rest of my life, as I intend to, to making amends for all of the time I was gone, for failing you, and leaving you locked away with that CREATURE for one hundred years..." his face crumpled in a way I'd never before seen, not even upon the death of his friends, nor his beloved mother. "I am unable to atone for the atrocities I've committed against you."

He came down on his knees and unsheathed his sword, laying it on the grass in front of him. "I suppose, I did suggest sending me away. But now that Ganon, the evil of our time, has been slain, my purpose in this life has been fulfilled. I feel that it is better if you... relinquish me of my duties, in a way that would provide me an ounce of honor in death." He hung his head, eyes cast towards the ground. "And next time, perhaps, I will be able to serve you in the ways you so deserve, so you do not suffer at my hand, because of my incompetence." 

I felt hot tears running down my face, my chest a brewing storm of emotion. I was furious, I felt betrayed and sympathetic and angry all at once, at the suggestion that he leave me now that I had just gotten him back! I stomped towards him, unsure if I'd even be able to get a response out though my gritted teeth. My jaw clenched so tightly, it began to throb.

"Stand up, Link." I whispered. He did as I commanded, though his eyes never left the ground.

"How could you suggest something like that to me?" My voice grew louder with each word until I was screaming at him. "After all of this time, yo return to my side with nothing but another goodbye? Why must you always insist on leaving me? Don't you understand that I NEED you?!"

"You don't NEED me", he responded calmly. 

"Fine, then." I took a deep, shaky breath. "I love you."  
His head snapped up, blue eyes immediately searching my face, though I wasn't sure what for. He simply looked confused.  
Yet, he said nothing. 

My heart fell. Stupid, stupid girl.

"I'm sorry", I said quickly. "I know this isn'-" my sentence was cut short by a pair of rough hands on either side of my face, pulling me into a hard kiss. My eyes fluttered shut as Link's lips pressed against mine. 

I felt as if I were glowing. As if I would catch fire. My arms rose between his and wrapped around his shoulders- warm and muscular. I felt his hands snake around my waist, pulling me closer into him. I grew dizzy, intoxicated by him, by his smell, his messy hair that my hands had worked their way into. 

He was all around me.

**Author's Note:**

> Kind of thinking about continuing, it all depends on what you guys want!  
> PS  
> I was only inspired to write any Zelda fanfic at all because I read MaryDragon's Calm Waters Run Deep  
> And I knew she wasn't going to continue beyond the game play so I was like, hey, I should do something with post gameplay.  
> So yeah go read that because it's heckin good


End file.
